British forces prepare for HMS Queen Elizabeth

UK Royal Navy and Royal Marine vessels and personnel are taking part in NATO Exercise Saxon Warrior off the coast of Scotland as part of work to prepare for the arrival of the navy’s new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.

The task group includes two Type 23 frigates, HMS Westminster and HMS Iron Duke of the Royal Navy, working with the US Navy’s carrier, USS George HW Bush, destroyer USS Donald Cook, missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea and the Norwegian frigate HNoMS Helge Ingstad.

The UK Carrier Strike Group has been directing jets, firepower and personnel across the task group for the last ten days to ensure full readiness for the UK’s own carrier strike capability.

The strike group has been working with its US counterparts to fight off a series of simulated threats from enemy forces, using all the air, surface and sub-surface assets of the entire task group. The threats have been specifically designed to test the UK personnel’s reactions for coordinating a response.

There are 15 ships from across NATO taking part throughout the exercise with more than 100 aircraft and nearly 10,000 personnel.